violent shake in steering wheel

[Murdoc]

So this morning on the way to work everything seemed fine all the sudden after accelerating up to between 55-60 mph my car felt like it had a flat tire and the steering wheel was shaking violently. I pulled over but all the tires had air. I got back in sped up to 70-75 and the shaking went away. few miles closer the car seemed to start again with the shaking. Could this be an alignment issue, or possibly a frozen brake caliper, warped rotoer, or something else. It almost seemed it was coming from the left front tire.

[sideshowalan]

Speed dependent vibration almost always going to be an out of balance wheel.
You can verify by moving the suspected wheel and see if the vibration follows it.

[Zimm]

my 3 first suspects would be out of balance tire, damaged tire sidewall, and warped brake rotor, in that order.

[lannvouivre]

my 3 first suspects would be out of balance tire, damaged tire sidewall, and warped brake rotor, in that order.

Or maybe deformed wheel, but that's not likely. I lean toward out-of-balance tire as well. If you got the tires via discount tire, they will balance them for free.

My front tires are now out-of-balance again due to yet another patch due to many screws.

[03GTMatthew]

I just had new tires and rims put on my vibe. The rims can't use the metal weights so they use the sticky weights. After they balanced them. I took the car for an alignment. The car now has a shake at 65-80 but will shake from 80-50. I had the tire place re balance my tires. it helped a little. But they explained that sense the sticky weights cant go all the way to the outside that the weight isn't going to be 100%.. I just did some research and i ordered 4.oz of DYNA-BEADS for each tire.. its suppose to self balance your tires as you drive. For a total of $67.76 for all 4 tires. Once they show up next week and if they work. ill make a new post.

[03GTMatthew]

I would say that the beads helped but didn't cure the shaking... I'm happier with them.. but i would be 100% happy if that would have fixed the shaking.... maybe if i change out the rear bearings and hub struts .... i thinks that's what i'm going to do.... and then head back in for a neither alignment haha

[Derf]

Another topic on this same issue.
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I did finally confirm the issue on mine this past week; poorly lubricated caliper pins, they would allow the brake cylinder to "chatter" at a certain speed dragging one wheel slower, causing the steering wheel to shake.

[03GTMatthew]

I figured out my shaking !!! It was .................... the lug nuts!!!! I bought 4 new wheels(rims) and they came with new lug nuts that "are made for your car" and when I had my tires put on they switched out my lug nuts... and its been shaking ever sense.... well after the beads not fixing the problem...I thought to my self.... what little things could make this happen.... my old lug nuts weren't very old... only about 2-4 months old.. so i said what the hey...ill jack up the car and swap all them back to the old new ones... and poof!!! the vibe doesn't even shake going 90mph... ... I just got back from a 4 hour tip to 6flags great america and the vibe drove like a dream once again .... but sadly i think i'm going to need to get ANOTHER alignment sense the nuts are fixed... it pulls to the right just a LITTLE... but that can wait till i do the rear suspension and hubs in the following weeks..